Chysis aurea

Base Price: $0.00

Intro:
Chysis aurea is native to Mexico, Central America and Northern South America. It has pendulous pseudobulbs that are deciduous and lose their leaves during late winter to early spring. Their fragrant waxy flowers are long lasting and beautifully colored in yellow and chestnut orange.

Light:
Grow as you would for cattleyas with 2000 to 3500 footcandles being ideal. If you live in the northern or southern extremes of the hemispheres, grow in higher light when the winter days are short and lesser light when the summer days are long.

Temperature:
These plants require intermediate to warm temperatures to do best. During the spring and summer months the temps should be warm with nighttime lows around 64 to 66 degrees and 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. When the new pseudobulbs have matured, usually in the fall, move the plant into cooler conditions.

Humidity:
Summer humidity should be high (60 to 70%). Fall and winter humidity should be no less than 40%.

Water:
It is best to use rainwater, distilled or reverse osmosis water. Municipal water with a pH of 7.5 or lower can also be used. Water as the plant approaches dryness but do not allow the mix to become bone dry between waterings. During the spring and summer months, when new growth is developing, provide copious amounts of water. When fall arrives and the new growth is mature, keep the plant somewhat drier between watering. When new growth develops in the spring, resume heavy watering.

Fertilizer:
We highly recommend Green Jungle Orchid Food, especially formulated to work with rain, distilled, reverse osmosis water or water low in alkalinity. Fertilize with Green Jungle every time you water.

Or, use GrowMore 20-10-20 Ureafree for municipal or well water. Use at the rate of ½ teaspoon per gallon. If using GrowMore with rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water, add back in 5 - 10% municipal or well water to supply the necessary calcium and magnesium. Fertilize every other watering in the summer and every third watering in the winter.

Flowering:
This plant blooms most heavily in the spring to summer months. The flowers are approx. 3 inches in size and each spike can have 6 to 12 flowers on mature plants. The flowers are waxy and long lasting with wonderful fragrance. The flower spikes emerge when the new growths are a few inches long.

Repotting:
Repot this plant only when the mix breaks down and the plant outgrows the pot or basket. The best time to repot this plant is just after flowering in the spring to early summer months. Repot using a medium grade bark mix or a mix with 70% tree fern and 30% sphagnum moss. Be careful not to crack or damage too many roots. These plants like air and when large prefer growing in hanging baskets.